The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-10-28
surprise mewith, Mrs. Redd;ck asked

Poor Knbe, he's always tfyin' some
new scheme or other, an Tn sure he
does 1t to benefit NE as well as him.
selt. Z she reasoned. looking vacantly
out the kitchen window.
Thus she occupied her mind while
tidying up things generally, and SO abb
sent-minded was she an hour afterward
that she never heard the roll Of car
riage wheels up the drive, nor the foot
| steps on the gravel walk until the We
randall was reached.
Rube had returned, and with him was
a little child.
| He hesitated before opening the door,
holding the trembling orphan by the
hand
"What'l Mandy say" he thought.
and looking down upon the sweet face
before him, he resolved to 'face the
music" and have it over with.
He felt the child's hand tremble and
babe her have no fears, that he had
brought her to a nice home where she
would have a new papa and mamma
and lots of good things.
They entered the little parlor, when
Mrs. Reddick turned and discovered
them. For moment she was speech
less.
''Rube! what in all creation does
this mean?" she asked, looking from
one to the other with dilated eyes.
at means, Mandy" he replied,
"that hey brought We this poor little
orphan, an Wen adopt her, an"
'Neyer! sir never!''
Mrs. Reddick was one of those
women who, not having the blessing
of little ones conferred upon them,
seem to hate the very sight of Others
children.
"Neyer, Rube; couldn't do it." she
repeated in husky voice, the tears
ready to flow at sight of the pleading
face before her.
Mandy" said Rube softly, ''re-
member what Jesus said"
81 know, RUDE; but can't take
hA@OCAtNA . pICSOCs III IL W uA IL UOy, L
mightn't mind it so much"
boy! tut, tut'' exclaimed the big
hearted man, beginning to feel hope
full. "Why, Mandy, boys is no account
any way you take 'em. Soon's they're
growed up they start off an leave the
ole folks to shift for themselves. Not
SO with the gals. This is a right smart
little critter, so they tell me at the
poor-house.
The little orphan felt she was not
wanted there and the thought gave her
pain. She looked up in Mr. Reddick's
face and burst into fit of weeping.
Mile Morewin, or 'Iittle Millie''
as she was called at the poor-house,
was left an orphan four years previous
to the opening of our story. She had
no living relative that she knew of,
and when her parents died she was
placed at the poor-farm, an institution
noted for kindness to the little ones
placed in it's charge.
Mr. Reddick often visited the place,
bearing fruits of all kinds to be dis
tributed among the children. He
never allowed himself to forget them
on his way to town.
Mile pleased him most with her sad
eyes and winning ways.
The idea of adopting her took COM
plete possession of him. So on this
day he had left word that he would
call in the evening and take Mile
home with him. He had asked the
child if she wished to go, and the
orphan, looking upon Mr.. Reddick as
the only friend she had outside the
poor-house, eagerly consented, as she
had long since become deeply attached
to the rough-looking but tender
hearted farmer
Now, as she wept and chung to the
one she loved as father, Mrs. Red
dick, who was not a hard-hearted
woman by any means, was touched
with a feeling of remorse that she had
spoken as she did.
"My poor little DEAR" she cried;
"come to me an I'll try to be kind
mamma"
Mile ran to her and threw her arms
about the good woman neck.
"God bless We, Mandy" said RUDE,
in a voice choked with tears. II
know ed ye'd be pleased with yer pres
emit"
And Mrs. Reddick was pleased, for
Mile proved a great help to her.
Nine years rolled away and Mile
grew to be handsome and accom-
plished young lady of seventeen.
"We'll give her fust-class edica-
ton, anyway" said Mr.. Reddick,